Say It Like You Mean It
by DoYouHaveARocketshipPotter
Summary: A complete redo of my story by the same name. AU. When Draco Malfoy meets Hermione Granger at age 7 at a park near there homes, he never figures his life would change so much. But it was all for the better. Rated T/M for some mild cursing.


**This is a rewrite of a story I started earlier this year. That story is off the same name, but there are clear differences between this story and that one. I'm going to put in a solid effort to update every week or two, but sometimes I'm busy and it maybe a month before I update. Just hang in there with me.**

* * *

 _"Come on Draco!"_

 _Draco was running through a field of grass near his local park, chasing after a beautiful girl with chestnut hair. They were both seven, she a few months older than him._

 _"Where are we going 'Mione?" Draco called out to her._

 _"My favorite place!"_

 _They kept running until they reached a spot near the woods where a large oak tree with an old tire swing stood. Long grass flowed around it with flowers dotted in between._

 _Hermione climbed on top of the tire so she was standing on it. "Push me Drake!"_

 _Draco grabbed the tire and pulled it back, letting it go when he couldn't hold it any higher. He watched her in awe as she swung back and forth, one hand on the rope and the other up in the air, her body leaning back._

 _Then she was falling. Her grip on the rope loosened and she let out a terrified shriek as she fell of the tire and ..._

 _Onto a tree branch?_

 _Draco's confusion held for a moment before he realized._

 _Accidental magic._

 _Draco climbed up the tree to where she was sitting._

 _"It's called accidental magic," he said as he sat next to her._

 _" Magic? Magic isn't real."_

 _"Yeah it is. It's everywhere. Your neighbor could be a wizard, or the kid sitting next to you in class could be a witch. Non Magical people are called Muggles in our world, and since you didn't know magic was real, I'd say you must be a Muggleborn. Neither of your parents have magical abilities?"_

 _"No. My parents are dentists. So, if you know about magic, you must have parents that are wizards!"_

 _"Yeah. I come from a long line of witches and wizards. It's called being a Pureblood, both parents are from magical lines."_

 _"What is called if a Pureblood marries a Muggle?"_

 _"They're Half-Bloods. A lot of people in the magical community are Half-Bloods. I believe our current Minister of Magic is a Half-Blood."_

 _"Do magical people ever have non magical children?"_

 _"Sometimes. They're called Squibs. It doesn't happen often though."_

 _"That is so cool! I wish I could read more about it."_

 _"I can send you some of my books. I think you'll like them. Especially the one about Hogwarts!"_

 _"Hogwarts?"_

 _"It's Britain's magic school. Kids ages eleven to seventeen go there to learn magic. I can't wait to be at Hogwarts, and you'll be there too!"_

 _"I can't wait! Please send the books to me as soon as you get home! I'll check the Post constantly!"_

 _"The Post? Nah. I'll send them to you by owl! It'll be faster. We can use my owl to send notes to each other as well."_

 _"Wizards communicate by owl? I can't believe I never knew about magic."_

 _"It's a law that magical folk can't reveal their magic to Muggles. Unless they're your parents, but Hermione, don't tell your parents you know about this. Wait until a Hogwarts professor delivers your letter when you're eleven."_

 _"Alright."_

-SILYMI-

Hermione woke up with a smile on her face. Yawning and stretching her arms above her head, she gets out of bed and walks down the stairs of the Burrow, towards the kitchen. Molly is there cooking breakfast with Ginny helping her. Arthur, Percy, Bill, and Harry are seated at the table, talking about who knows what.

"Hey guys!" The six occupants of the room look up and greet her. "Everyone else is still in bed? What time is it?"

"Like 6," Bill answered.

"Oh. That explains it. Molly do you have any coffee made?"

"Yes dear. Take a seat and I'll get you some toast to eat with it."

"No need. I'm going to change quick and go for a run. I just want something to give me a quick boost."

"Alright. Keep your wand on you. There are still a few rogue Death Eaters still out there."

"I'll be careful Molly. When am I not?"

-SILYMI-

 _The moment the Sorting Hall called "GRYFFINDOR!," the entire Great Hall went silent._

 _A Malfoy was sorted into Gryffindor._

 _And then, two claps sounded from the Gryffindor table. Draco looked up to see Fred and George Weasley clapping for_ him. _Then more and more Gryffindors started clapping too. Draco smiled, a real genuine smile, and went to sit by his new House and, of course, his best friend for four years, Hermione Granger._

-SILYMI-

Draco sat up in bed, smiling at his dream. He removed himself from his bed and went into his bathroom for a quick shower. Afterwards, he pulled on a pair of jeans and a Gryffindor t-shirt, and threw his Quidditch gear into his duffel bag. Grabbing his shoes and broom and flinging the bag over his shoulder, he retreated from his room and down the hall to his sisters' room.

He knocked on the door twice before placing his stuff by the door and slowly walking in. Both of his honorary sisters were still asleep. Daphne's golden blonde hair just peaking out from under her red comforter and Tonks' body splayed out on top of her yellow blanket and sheets. Draco smirked before jumping onto Tonks' bed, bouncing up and down and knocking her around.

Tonks woke up quickly, looking for the source of the unexpected wake up call. Seeing Draco, she frowned before using her legs to send him falling off her bed and onto the ground. She laughed as he rubbed his head and butt.

"Not funny, Nym," grumbled Draco.

"It was pretty funny. Besides, if you hadn't been such an ass in the first place, you wouldn't be on the floor now."

"You're an ass Nym," Draco replies before launching himself back onto her bed, sparking a small wrestling match between the two.

The noise of the two woke the other occupant of the room. Who, upon realizing what was happening, burst into laughter. Draco and Tonks broke apart and looked at Daphne laughing, then looked at each other before laughing too. Draco's hair was a complete mess with a slight bruise forming on his cheek from where Tonks must have hit him and an even bigger bruise on his arm from when he fell off the bed. Tonks was sporting bright red hair and had a bruise forming on her arm from where Draco hit and a bruise on her leg from Draco jumping on her. Both had red faces.

"So much noise at six thirty in the morning. What's going on in here?" A voice asked from the door. The occupants of the room turned to look at their parents. In Tonks' case, Andromeda and Ted were her parents through birth, but Draco and Daphne considered their aunt and uncle their parents.

"Drake was being an ass! Jumping on the bed at six thirty in the morning," Tonks muttered.

"Oh honestly! You're twenty-five years old Nymphadora! Grow up!" Andromeda scolded her, to which Draco laughed. "Don't laugh Mister! You're no better! Eighteen years old and you still act like you're twelve!"

"Sorry Mum," came the mumbled reply of the two.

"Go clean up. I want to be at the Burrow by seven."

Daphne and Tonks hurriedly got ready as Draco fixed his hair.

Five minutes before seven, they were all Flooing over to the Burrow.

Draco was the last to step through the fireplace. Andromeda was already helping Molly in the kitchen. Ted was with Arthur discussing new policies the Ministry was talking about setting forth. Tonks was standing behind Charlie, rubbing his shoulders as they talked about what Draco was sure was their wedding, and Daphne was walking outside with Harry, probably to make out.

Draco looked around the room for Hermione, but couldn't find her. Frowning, he asked to no one in particular, "Where's Hermione?"

"She went out for a run. About an hour ago. She should have been back by now," Bill said with a worried tone.

Draco thought for a moment, but then remembered the date. "Nah, I know where she is. I'll be right back."

With a crack, Draco apparated close to his old childhood playground. He walked for a bit through tall grass until he spotted his beautiful girlfriend sitting on an old tire swing tied to an even older oak tree, the same tree both his and Hermione's wands were made of.

Draco looked at Hermione lovingly. Her chestnut hair was brought back into a ponytail, she wore jeans and a Gryffindor t-shirt, her scars visible in a place where no judgement was ever made.

"I knew I'd find you here," Draco said, making his presence known.

"Bill was worried, huh?" Hermione questioned, her gaze never leaving her book.

"Everyone's worried about you, Princess," Draco spoke softly.

"I wish they weren't."

"You can't blame them."

"I just wish I knew."

"I wish I had been there."

"I still get nightmares. Bellatrix torturing me. It hurt so much."

"I would have killed her on the spot, had I been there."

"I remember Harry and Neville's faces when they saw the blood. Neville knew instantly what had happened. Before I had even registered what happened."

"I wish I knew."

"I wish Molly stopped looking at me like I'll fall apart any second. I'm fine physically, sometimes I still ache, but it's getting better."

"But you're not fine emotionally or mentally."

"Is anyone?"

"I wish."

"I can't believe I didn't know."

"You'll be alright someday. We all will."

"I love you."

"So do I." Draco pulled a little black box from his pocket, "Heal with me?"

"Yes."

-SILYMI-

Draco and Hermione walked back into the Burrow hand in hand.

"Way to match," George says sarcastically. Draco sticks his tongue out in reply.

"Where'd ya find her?" Charlie asks.

"Just a little place where she first learned about our magical world."

"The tree?" Asks Harry.

"The tree," both reply.

"Adorable," Sirius says. "Now can we eat?"

"Always hungry," Lupin says as he rolls his eyes.

"I was in Azkaban for thirteen years!"

"No need to shout dear," Molly reprimands as she places the last dish down.

Draco pulls out a chair for Hermione before taking the seat next to her.

"Everything ready for tomorrow?" Draco asks.

"Should be. Charlie, don't forget to get your tux," Tonks replies.

"Don't worry about him. I've got everything under control," Bill says as he pulls a piece of paper from his pocket.

"I knew making you best man was a good idea," Charlie says as he pats his brother's back.

"Mhm. Draco, you'll be the responsible one then?"

"Aren't I always, Nym?" Draco asks sweetly.

"Yeah when you aren't putting your dick in places it doesn't belong," Tonks mumbles.

"Nymphadora!" Andromeda scolds.

"I'm just stating facts!"

Conversation continues as everyone eats. Nobody notices the rock adorning Hermione's left hand.

After breakfast, the younger adults went out to the orchard to play Quidditch. Hermione and a pregnant Fleur watching and keeping score.

Teams were picked. Draco, as Seeker, choose Blaise for Keeper, Fred for Beater, and Ginny, Tonks, and Angelina as Chasers. Harry, as Seeker, taking Charlie for Keeper, George as the Beater, and Bill, Daphne, and Katie as Chasers.

The game starts slow, everyone getting used to their teammates.

When the score reaches 40 Blue (Draco's team) to 60 Red (Harry's team), Fleur grabs Hermione's hand in surprise.

"Hermione!" Fleur whispers. "Why didn't you tell us?" Referring to the beautiful platinum ring with small rubies circling the band and a large diamond adorning the center.

"He just proposed today. Don't make a big deal. We're waiting until the right time to tell everyone. We don't want to draw attention away from Tonks and Charlie's wedding," Hermione replies in a hushed tone.

"This is so exciting! But you aren't allowed to get married until after the kid pops out. I only have a couple of months before I'll be swelling up like a balloon. I don't want to ruin your wedding photos."

"Who says I'll even invite you?" Hermione teases.

"You're such a little shit."

"Just trying to stay happy."

"It's all we can do. I know Ron wasn't the best person, but everyday I see the hurt in Molly's eyes when she sees one less of her kids there."

"Ron wouldn't be here even if he hadn't died. He hated us."

"Even so. Ron was Molly's youngest boy. She loved him so much."

"And he hated her … . But now she has Harry, Draco, Daphne, Blaise, you, me. All people who love her unconditionally. She took us in and never let us go."

"She's a good woman."

"She's the best."


End file.
